Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a flow path exit of a fluid introduction part and a flow path entrance of the frost detection duct that have a same size. Thus, defrost water flowing down into the fluid introduction part through a guide flow path may more efficiently flow downward without becoming stagnant and freezing of the stagnant water may be prevented.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a casing which provides a storage compartment;   an evaporator which cools fluid supplied to the storage compartment;   a grille panel arranged between the storage compartment and the evaporator;   a shroud arranged between the grille panel and the evaporator and coupled to the grille panel;   a fan installed between the grille panel and the shroud;   a frost detection device configured to detect an amount of frost or ice generated on the evaporator;   an inlet duct formed at a lower portion of the grille panel and guiding air from the storage compartment to evaporator,   wherein the inlet duct is positioned to be spaced apart above a bottom surface of the casing and provides a flow path such that the fluid flows between the inlet duct and the bottom surface of the casing toward the evaporator,   wherein the frost detection device comprises:   a guide flow path formed by recessing a surface of the grille panel facing the evaporator and having openings of upper and lower surfaces;   a flow path cover covering the guide flow path to separate the guide flow path from the evaporator;   a frost check sensor provided in the guide flow path; and   a fluid introduction part provided on a lower end of the flow path cover and having peripheral wall surfaces and openings of upper and lower surfaces,   wherein an upper end of the fluid introduction part connects to a lower end of the guide flow path,   wherein the lower surface of the fluid introduction part opens toward the flow path between the inlet duct and the bottom surface of the casing,   wherein an inner surface of the upper end of the fluid introduction part forms to expand gradually downward,   wherein an inner surface of a lower end of the guide flow path forms to expand gradually upward, and   wherein a seating recess forms at the inner surface of the lower end of the guide flow path, and the fluid introduction part is seated in the seating recess, and   wherein an outlet of the fluid introduction part and an inlet of the guide flow path have same size.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a front wall of the fluid introduction part is formed to incline rearward gradually downward.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the shroud further includes a fluid exit part defining an outlet of the guide flow path,   wherein the fluid exit part is formed by recessing a surface facing the evaporator of the shroud and connects to an upper end of the guide flow path, and   wherein the flow path cover covers at least a portion of the fluid exit part.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the frost check sensor of the frost detection device is configured to measure a physical property of the portion of the fluid passing through the frost detection duct, and the physical property comprises at least one of a temperature, pressure, and a flow rate. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the frost check sensor comprises a sensor and a sensing inductor. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the sensing inductor is means for inducing the sensor to improve precision of measuring a physical property of fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the sensing inductor comprises a heater which generates heat. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator comprises a refrigerant valve which controls an amount of a refrigerant supplied to the evaporator. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator comprises a compressor which compresses a refrigerant supplied to the evaporator. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator comprises a cooling fan which operates to circulate the fluid around the evaporator to the storage compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein an internal flow path of the fluid introduction part is inclined to have an inner width decreasing gradually downward from an internal flow path of the frost detection duct. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein a depth of the seating recess corresponds to the peripheral wall surfaces of the fluid introduction part. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid introduction part is inclined downward gradually forward by protruding from a lower end of the grille panel toward the inside of the storage compartment, and
 the lower surface of the fluid introduction part is located on a same surface as a bottom surface of the fluid introduction part.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the lower surface of the fluid introduction part has a same inclination as the inclination of the fluid introduction part. 
     
     
         15 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a casing which provides a storage compartment;   an evaporator which cools fluid supplied to the storage compartment;   a grille panel arranged between the storage compartment and the evaporator;   a shroud arranged between the grille panel and the evaporator and coupled to the grille panel;   a fan installed between the grille panel and the shroud;   a frost detection device which detects an amount of frost or ice formed on the evaporator;   an inlet duct formed at a lower portion of the grille panel and guiding air from the storage compartment to evaporator;   wherein the inlet duct is positioned to be spaced apart above a bottom surface of the casing and provides a flow path such that the fluid flows between the inlet duct and the bottom surface of the casing toward the evaporator,   wherein the frost detection device comprises:
 a guide flow path formed by recessing a surface of the grille panel facing the evaporator and having openings of upper and lower surfaces; 
    a flow path cover covering the guide flow path to separate the guide flow path from the evaporator; and a frost check sensor provided in the guide flow path,   a fluid introduction part provided on a lower end of the flow path cover having peripheral wall surfaces and openings of upper and lower surfaces,   wherein the fluid introduction part is inclined downward gradually forward by protruding from a lower end of the grille panel toward the inside of the storage compartment, and   a lower end of the fluid introduction part protrudes downward from a bottom surface of the fluid introduction part, and the lower surface of the fluid introduction part is located lower than the bottom surface of the fluid introduction part.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein the lower surface of the fluid introduction part has a same height at a front and rear of the lower surface. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein a close contact end is formed on the lower end of the fluid introduction part by protruding therefrom toward the bottom surface of the fluid introduction part located in front of the fluid introduction part, with an upper surface of the close contact end having a same inclination as the bottom surface of the fluid introduction part so as to be adjacent with the bottom surface of the fluid introduction part.